Posts Tagged ‘Media

Ok, so I’m watching VH1’s “All Access: 20 Skinniest Celebs.” And I’m wondering…why is the media so weird? For example, they profiled Janet Jackson. If anyone else out there is as into celeb gossip as I am, y’all know that she has had issues with her weight for years. So, they show this picture of her at her highest weight (about 180, she’s 5’4) and the commentators say that she’s “unrecognizable.” Ok. So then they show her at a svelte 120, and now she’s “outrageously thin.” What the hell, man?

Now see, if I were still (overly) young and impressionable, I’d be in a shambles. I’d be wondering…”Ok, y’all, what am I supposed to look like? Clearly I can’t be fat…because I’ll be a blimp…but clearly I can’t be thin, because I’ll be called anorexic. What do I do?”

It’s foolishness like this that causes so many of the issues that people (I can’t just say women today, because this same program identified men that are–or look like–and I quote, “manorexic”) have about their bodies and about food. And what is even more disturbing is that, since the media is so influential, people who fit into the Hollywood ideal of “normal” feel they have a right to preach to others about it.

On the flip side, some folks (fat and skinny) look at the pictures of the emaciated stars and say “This bitch needs to eat a sandwich.” Now, I can admit I was one of those folks. And in my quest to work on me I had to realize that my response is that of me at 10 when I was being taunted–I had to have SOMETHING to say to the folks vehemently spewing their jackassery at me. And I also had to realize that me saying “go eat” is as offensive to someone saying “stop eating” to me. So why is it that the media does the same damn thing with their “SCARY THIN” headlines one day and “BIG AS A HOUSE” propaganda the next? It’s as disheartening as it is disturbing.

I’m just appalled that with all of the influence that the media has they just cannot seem to use their powers for good.